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NF-κB has been implicated in the regulation of apoptosis, a key mechanism of normal and malignant growth control. Previously, we demonstrated that inhibition of NF-κB activity by TGF-β1 leads directly to induction of apoptosis of murine B-cell lymphomas and hepatocytes. Thus, we were surprised to determine that NF-κB is transiently activated in response to TGF-β1 treatment. Here we elucidate the mechanism of TGF-β1-mediated regulation of NF-κB and induction of apoptosis in epithelial cells. We report that TGF-β1 activates IKK kinase, which mediates IκB-α phosphorylation. In turn, the activation of IKK following TGF-β1 treatment is mediated by the TAK1 kinase. As a result of NF-κB activation, IκB-α mRNA and protein levels are increased leading to postrepression of NF-κB and induction of cell death. Inhibition of NF-κB following TGF-β1 treatment increased AP-1 complex transcriptional activity through sustained c-Jun phosphorylation, thereby potentiating AP-1/SMADs-mediated cell killing. Furthermore, TGF-β1-mediated upregulation of Smad7 appeared independent of NF-κB. In hepatocellular carcinomas of TGF-β1 or TGF-α/c-myc transgenic mice, we observed constitutive activation of NF-κB that led to inhibition of JNK signaling. Overall, our data illustrate an autocrine mechanism based on the ability of IKK/NF-κB/IκB-α signaling to negatively regulate NF-κB levels thereby permitting TGF-β1-induced apoptosis through AP-1 activity.Oncogene (2003) 22, 412–425. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1206132 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upon engagement of the B Cell Receptor (BCR) of WEHI 231 immature B cells, a drop in c-Myc expression is followed by activation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI) p27Kip1, which induces growth arrest and apoptosis. Here, we report inverse patterns of p27 and c-Myc protein expression follow BCR engagement. We present evidence demonstrating, for the first time, that the p27Kip1 gene is a target of transcriptional repression by c-Myc. Specifically, the changes in p27 protein levels correlated with changes in p27 mRNA levels, and gene transcription. Induction of p27 promoter activity followed BCR engagement of WEHI 231 cells, and this induction could be repressed upon co-transfection of a c-Myc expression vector. Inhibition of the TATA-less p27 promoter by c-Myc was also observed in Jurkat T cells, vascular smooth muscle, and Hs578T breast cancer cells, extending the observation beyond immune cells. Consistent with a putative Inr element CCAGACC (where +1 is underlined) at the start site of transcription in the p27 promoter, deletion of Myc homology box II reduced the extent of repression. Furthermore, enhanced repression was observed upon transfection of the c-Myc ‘super-repressor’, with mutation of Phe115 to Leu. The sequences mediating transcriptional activity and c-Myc repression were mapped to bp -20 to +20 of the p27 gene. Finally, binding of Max was shown to facilitate c-Myc binding and repression of p27 promoter activity. Overall, these studies identify the p27 CKI gene as a new target whereby c-Myc can control cell proliferation, survival and neoplastic transformation. Oncogene (2001) 20, 1688–1702. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nuclear Factor (NF)-κB family of transcription factors controls expression of genes which promote cell growth, survival, and neoplastic transformation. Recently we demonstrated aberrant constitutive activation of NF-κB in primary human and rat breast cancer specimens and in cell lines. Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family member Her-2/neu, seen in approximately 30% of breast cancers, is associated with poor prognosis. Previously, Her-2/neu has been shown to signal via a phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3)-kinase to Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) pathway. Since this signaling pathway was recently shown to activate NF-κB, here we have tested the hypothesis that Her-2/neu can activate NF-κB in breast cancer. Overexpression of Her-2/neu and EGFR-4 in Ba/F3 cells led to constitutive PI3- and Akt kinase activities, and induction of classical NF-κB (p50/p65). Similarly, a tumor cell line and tumors derived from MMTV-Her-2/neu transgenic mice displayed elevated levels of classical NF-κB. Engagement of Her-2/neu receptor downregulated the level of NF-κB. NF-κB binding and activity in the cultured cells was reduced upon inhibition of the PI3- to Akt kinase signaling pathway via ectopic expression of kinase inactive mutants, incubation with wortmannin, or expression of the tumor suppressor phosphatase PTEN. Inhibitors of calpain, but not the proteasome, blocked IκB-α degradation. Inhibition of Akt did not affect IKK activity. These results indicate that Her-2/neu activates NF-κB via a PI3- to Akt kinase signaling pathway that can be inhibited via the tumor suppressor PTEN, and is mediated by calpain rather than the IκB kinase complex. Oncogene (2001) 20, 1287–1299. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

dMax, a naturally occurring splice variant of the Myc binding protein Max, lacks the DNA binding basic region and helix 1 of the Helix – Loop – Helix domain; dMax interacts with c-Myc in vitro and in vivo, and inhibits E-box Myc site driven transcription in transient transfection assays. Here we have investigated the expression, function and interactions of dMax. RT/PCR analyses detected dmax mRNA in multiple tissues of the developing, newborn and adult mouse. Functionally, dMax reduced the ability of c-Myc to cooperate with the progression factor A-Myb to promote S phase entry of quiescent smooth muscle cells. In contrast, dMax failed to ablate inhibition of initiator element (Inr)-mediated transcription by c-Myc in Jurkat T cells. In in vitro protein : protein association assays, dMax interacted with c-Myc, N-Myc, L-Myc, Mad1, Mxi1, Mad3 and Mad4, but not with itself or wild-type Max. These interactions required an intact leucine zipper. Inhibition of E-box-mediated transactivation by induction of dMax overexpression resulted in apoptosis of WEHI 231 B cells. Thus, dMax is a widely expressed, naturally occurring protein, with the capacity to bind most members of the Myc/Max superfamily; dMax has little effect on Inr-mediated repression by c-Myc, but can significantly decrease E-box-mediated events promoting proliferation and cell survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The INK4 and Kip/Cip families of Cyclin Dependent Kinase inhibitors (CKIs) are regulators of the cell cycle. In addition, CKIS including p27Kip1can protect cells from apoptosis in vitro. However, little is known about protective effect of p27Kip1in vivo. We used systemic treatment with aminoglycosides to induce hair-cell death in the basilar papilla (BP), the auditory organ of the avian inner ear, and characterised the expression of p27Kip1with confocal and immunofluorescence microscopy. In contrast to the adult mammalian cochlea where p27Kip1is expressed only in supporting cells, p27Kip1is found in the nuclei of both hair cells and supporting cells in the BP of the normal, mature bird. Forty-eight hours after gentamicin treatment, hair cells with TUNEL positive nuclei and hair cells with pyknotic nuclei were both detected, suggesting many hair cells die by apoptosis. When the BP was double labelled for p27Kip1and myosin VIIa, a hair-cell specific protein, all dying hair cells that had been ejected from the epithelium were found to be myosin VIIa positive but negative for p27Kip1even though nuclear remnants were still visible. In the transition zone where partial hair-cell loss occurs, freshly ejected hair cells lying immediately above the surface of the BP no longer expressed p27Kip1. Damaged hair cells within the epithelium in the transition zone contained p27Kip1in their cytoplasm but not in their nuclei. These data support recent in vitro findings suggesting that p27Kip1protects cells from apoptosis and that its downregulation may be a general feature of programmed cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]